


Desk Notes

by Jezzaanne



Series: Desk Notes [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-22
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-11-16 20:52:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/543698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezzaanne/pseuds/Jezzaanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with- 'Hi, How are you?'<br/>Little did Lucy Heartfilia know, writing on that desk, would change her life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Graffiti

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone.... ^.^  
> This has been a new story that has been niggling at me for months now. So I finally sat down and wrote it. It is only a multi-chap oneshot, but it had managed to capture my heart and I love the story that came out of it. Hopefully you like it as well.  
> So if you read, please comment and leave feedback, I'm not very good at writing short stories, so this is my first shot :)
> 
> Enjoy Desk Notes! :)

It started with - _'Hi, how are you?'_  
She scratched it into the wood of the desk, going over the words several times for the ink to stain the surface of the battered school desk.   
She looked up to make sure the teacher wasn't watching her before going over her graffiti on the desk once more. She didn't realise that this tiny little scrap of writing was going to change everything. 

……..

 _'Hi, I’m good. What's up?'_  
Lucy stared down at the graffiti line underneath hers the next day in class. She looked around the tables in her class, looking at her schoolmates before back at her desk.   
From beside her, her best friend Natsu slammed his head on the table with a groan. It couldn't have been him.   
Reaching into her pencil case, she pulled out her trusty blue pen and began to scratch again.   
_'Wow, I didn't expect somebody to reply to this. I'm good. Class is boring.'_

........

 _'Class is boring. That's why I replied to your message. What's another scrap of graffiti going to do this crappy table?'_  
They were only simple notes, just ink scratched into the table. But strangely enough, Lucy walked into the classroom and straight to the rickety old desk in the corner to see what the next message said.   
She knew it was going to become a habit if this person kept replying to her desk notes.   
Making sure she wouldn't be caught drawing on the table, Lucy smiled down and began her next little note.   
_'I’m sure that more graffiti won't hurt. Besides, it gives me something to do in class.'_

.........

The desk was clean the next morning.   
Lucy stared down in dismay at the clean, cheap plastic desk, her notes not there anymore. She bit down her disappointment, wondering if her anonymous friend would still graffiti the desk, replying to her notes.   
She set everything down before catching a little line at the top of the desk.  
 _'Teacher caught me writing. Had to clean the desk.'_  
It made Lucy's day when she saw that.   
_'That’s good. I was annoyed when I saw it. But seeing your note made my day.'_

.......

 _'Graffiti notes aren't very manly.'_  
 _'^^ Whoever that is... Is a retard. Well, At least I make someone's day.'_  
Lucy snorted out in laughter when she saw the next compilation of lines the next morning.   
It had been a full school week since Lucy started the Graffiti notes. She hasn't realised how much she looked forward to the morning class to see what the next line was on her desk. 

'Hmm? What are you laughing at Luce?"  
Natsu tried to peer over, but Lucy covered up her notes with her books. "Nothing" she lied, "Just something I remembered. It's quite funny."  
Natsu gave her a questioning look before slinking back over to his desk and grabbing his pen. Then he began to doodle in his notepad.   
_'You made me laugh in the middle of class! That has to bring a smile to your face at least?'_

.........

_'When I find out who called me a retard, just you wait. I'll prove to you who's the real man!'_   
_'Is this a desk chain? Can I join in?"_   
_'It's me...the original talker. Couldn't help but smile when I saw that. Judging by your handwriting, you’re a girl. So I can imagine that.'_

Lucy bit her lip at the extending list of Graffiti on her desk. It was going to get noticeable. She looked up, her eyes falling back on Natsu who was scratching a picture into his own desk.   
A wicked face looked back from the cheap, plastic wood with sharp teeth and cross-eyed eyes. The words **'Eat me Sucker!'** Stood out. At least Natsu would get into trouble before she did.   
_'So what if I'm a girl? You have halved the chances of finding out who I am. Here I thought you were a nice person?'_

.........

The desk had been cleaned of the previous days notes. But she didn't miss out on anything. 

_'Girls can be very manly.'_   
_'There’s nothing wrong with being a girl, you go girl :)... PS if we get caught writing on the table and have to clean it, leave this message.'_   
_'Happy? I left your notes. See I am a nice person. You don't have to worry though, I can find out who you are very easily ;)'_

Lucy's heart fluttered momentarily when she saw that ridiculous winky face on the Tuesday of the next week. The school was massive; it would be quite hard to find out who she was talking to.   
All she could fathom was that the 'Man' comments were coming after her mid-morning. The other person, a girl she presumed was early afternoon.   
And her mystery person was in the late afternoon.   
_'Is this turning into a game now? :) All I was doing was drawing on the table, Have I found new friends?'_

........

_'Real men don't back down from a challenge. But if I do find you, I can be your manly friend.'_   
_'Oh yeah, count me in. I can be your best friend :). I won't be hard to spot and find out.'_   
_'...Sure, this can be a game if you want it to be. But I guess it won't hurt if I gain a friend from this.'_

On the Wednesday, Lucy couldn't help but smile.   
Out of the thousands of kids on the Campus, she had managed to get three desk talkers like herself and she could possibly find out who they were. 

She smiled into her notebook as the Teacher stood over Natsu and lectured him about his large graffiti drawing on the desk. Natsu looked bored and Lucy made sure to hide her little notes under her notebooks.   
_'Okay, I am going to walk past this classroom window at the start of each period. I will wave to whoever is sitting here. If you wave back and give me a thumbs up, I can figure out who you are :)'_

..........

Lucy waited until second period to see who sat at that table.   
Natsu waited for her, asking questions the whole time before she determined that nobody sat there during second class.   
She and Natsu went to their next class, Lucy quickly ditched him at the end of second and the start of third to see who she could see. 

She walked past the window and towards her first class seat, she saw a hulking boy with wild silver hair staring back at her. She waved, he waved back and gave her a thumbs up.   
She was ecstatic and couldn't keep the grin off her face. 

She did the same over and over, resulting in a tired and rather demanding Natsu, questioning her motives.   
Her next Desk Talker wasn't found until fifth class, a girl about her age with tousled blue locks and the sweetest face. They both waved and the girl gave Lucy a thumbs up. Now it left her mystery talker. 

He wasn't at school that day. 

.........

 _'Mr Nice Person? Who replied to my first message. Are you still around?'_  
She wrote that on the Friday of the second week of desk talking.   
And never received an answer back. 

..........

"So you guys met writing on the desk?"   
Natsu looked incredulously at Lucy and the blue haired girl she had befriended, "And your name is?"  
"Levy...." The girl gushed happily, "Levy McGarden."  
She beamed at Natsu, "I have seen you pair hanging out together all over campus. Do you two go out?"  
Lucy, who was drinking a popper, spat apple juice all over the concrete, "eh?" She cried out in horror, "Me and Natsu? No way."  
"I'm not going out with my best friend!" Natsu cringed "That's gross. You aren't supposed to do that."

"Oh I'm sorry" Levy laughed, "I didn't mean to be rude."  
A shadow loomed above them, "Are you the Desk Talkers?" A deep voice rung out.   
Chills went up the girls spines and Natsu was on the defensive to protect Lucy. "What's your problem" he started to shout; only to have a massive hand cover his entire face and his words were muffled. 

Lucy looked up and saw the same young man she had seen previously, the one with striking white hair. He had a large scar dragging down the left side of his face, and skin tanned from being in the sun.   
His sharp eyes landed on Lucy, she only nodded helplessly. Then he looked down to Natsu, who was trying to punch him while his head was still being held back.   
"This..." He said, "Is not manly."  
He pushed Natsu back, letting him stumble back. "I'm Elfman Strauss!" He declared, "I’m a real man!"  
Lucy sweat dropped, "Right" she chuckled nervously.   
"Mind if I sit with you?" Elfman said in his forever-loud voice. Lucy didn't have the heart, nor the guts to say no.

.......

 _'I'm back... That's if you are still leaving desk notes. I was....sick."_  
Lucy stared down at the scrawled desk note on the fifth week of starting desk notes.   
She, Levy and Elfman had stayed steady friends ever since their little endeavour on the desks. Yet none of them had ever met, or seen this mysterious desk writer that Lucy had encountered first. 

_'I'm so happy'_ she scrawled onto the desk, going over the words a couple of times to make them darker. _'You were sick for nearly three weeks, that's a long time.'_

"Has he or she come back now?"  
Levy bit into her sandwich as Natsu poked around the sweets in her lunchbox. He looked up, "Yeah you should have seen her face light up this morning. He or she, whatever, has been sick all this time."

"Do you think it's a man?" Elfman asked, leaning against the fence and looking down on his friends, "We all left notes to reply to."  
It's not their fault," Lucy declared, "You can't help it if you get sick; some people stay sick for a long time. At least they are back at school. Maybe we can finally meet them."

"I really don't care." Natsu shrugged, "I still find it weird that you all met each other writing on the desk."  
He pulled a tart out of Levy's lunchbox and began to eat it, "But you guys are alright," he mumbled between mouthfuls of tart, "Ruushii carn make fweinds vey eashily."  
He spat crumbs everywhere and Lucy rolled her eyes, "Eat before you speak Natsu. I'm surprised I'm still your friend."  
Natsu only grinned, his abnormally sharp teeth gleaming, "I’m all you have!" He laughed. 

...........

_'I know. Doc said if I get sick again, I won't be able to come back. I was lucky this time. We're you actually happy to see this note?'_

Lucy stared down at the note, her heart clenching at the sadness that seemed to pour out of it. She clutched her pencil case and stole a glance at Natsu who was pulling out his connecta-textas to build something.   
She looked back to the note with a heavy heart; she placed her pencil case and books down and pulled out her pen.

_'That’s sad. I hope you don't get sick again. Of course I was happy to see this, you know, the other people desk writing with us? We’re really good friends now.'_

_'A real man doesn't allow themselves to get sick. Fight it. You really give a reason to write on the desk, it's still unmanly.'_

_'Oh my... Please get better, maybe you can become our friend as well? Just don't get sick again and leave before we can meet you :)'_

..........

 _'.... Friends? Haven't had them in a while. I get sick easily.... Doc says its terminal. But hey, why would I care?'_  
Lucy didn't reply to that desk note that day. 

"Levy!" Lucy went running to Levy at lunch that day dragging Natsu behind her like a rag doll. "I couldn't reply to the desk note, why would you say something like that? Especially when other people can see it!"  
Levy pursed her lips, "Lucy, we have been doing this for quite a while now, I think I have come to notice that you, Elfman and I only sit at that rickety desk. It's still sad that they are terminally ill."

"Do you think that they will let us be friends?" Asked Lucy as she saw the looming shadow of Elfman coming up behind them.  
"Just because they are sick," he said in his deep voice, "Doesn't mean that they will shut out others. We haven't even met this person yet. We should give each other a chance."  
Natsu poked his head up over Lucy's shoulder, "Hey guys?" He asked, "What's terminal mean?"

Lucy spun around and hit him in the head, "It means that you are going to die of an illness!" She shrieked, "How inconsiderate can you get! I thought you knew better Natsu."  
Natsu hit the ground clutching his head looking guilty, Lucy spun around with tears in her eyes before hiking up her bag and running away from her group of friends. 

"Lucy!" Levy cried, going to run after her friend, but Natsu stopped her. "Don't Levy," he murmured, "I was stupid. I shouldn't have said that. Lucy has issues with illnesses that kill you." He looked up to her, "Her Mother died of an illness, just give her time. She'll come back."

...........

 _'How can you be so blasé about something that is going to kill you?'_  
A teardrop smudged the last word as Lucy scribbled into the desk, _'You should be out there having fun, not wasting away being unhappy.'_

Natsu looked at his friend as she scribbled. He saw a tear ooze out and fall on the desk; he felt his chest tighten in sadness.  
 _"I'm sorry that I can't make you happy Lucy,"_ he thought miserably. 

.........

 _'Don’t cry over a person you haven't met before,'_ came the response the next morning.   
Lucy's knuckles went white as she clutched her books, reading the scrawly blue pen note, _'I see you have an issue of me not caring?'_

Lucy spun around on her heels and walked up to the front of the classroom; she slammed her books down and fell into the seat. Her head dropped onto her arms and her shoulders began to shake. 

Natsu frowned at the scene before him before picking up his stuff and moving to Lucy's usual desk.   
He chose a red pen, because red is an angry colour.   
_**'You'**_ he wrote savagely, _'How dare you make my friend cry! You don't know what she has been through. She has only wanted to care about you and you make her sad! Just you wait till’ I find you! I will knock some sense into you!'_

"I didn't say anything," Levy said, "Did you really put that Natsu?"  
Natsu sent a glance at Lucy sitting alone on a bench against the wall a little distance away. "Of course I did" he said defensively, "Levy, that stupid note made Lucy cry! She went to the front of the classroom and cried her eyes out. She had to be sent to the bathrooms."

"It's not manly to make a woman cry," Elfman said disapprovingly, "Poor Lucy."  
"I'm going to protect her" Natsu said vehemently, "I swore to myself that I wouldn't let Lucy cry again. Now a stupid desk note breaks her heart all over again?"  
He hit the steel fence with his fist, "I just wish that I could fix everything for her, Lucy is too beautiful to be sad."

.............

_'You just sound like a flame brain! Who are you to get up me? I didn't mean to make your friend cry alright! You wanna have a fight huh? Meet me after school behind the Bus Bay! Then we can settle your little anger tiff. Don't bring anyone else. PS. Rub this out when you see it you idiot. I don't want your friend seeing this.'_

Natsu gritted his teeth as he read the note, "What an idiot" he snarled under his breath.  
Natsu had raced ahead of Lucy that Friday morning; he had come into the empty classroom as the Teacher went to get some work sheets. He slammed his bag down and went back up to the front to grab the desk cleaner and some paper towels.

He sprayed the note about ten times before scrubbing away at it furiously, erasing the note from existence. There was no way he wanted to be the one to make Lucy cry this time. He wanted to make it better. 

.............

That Friday afternoon, Natsu bade Lucy farewell as she climbed into her car and drove home. Natsu clutched his own car keys and made his determined way towards the Bus Bay.  
He made his own way through the throngs of school kids waiting for the Bus and towards the back of the Bus Bay where a small classroom was. A shadow loomed on the right side of it and Natsu fell against the front of it. Refusing to see who was on the other side of the brickwork.

“Don’t want to face me?” a cold voice came out.  
Natsu had a death grip on his keys and he said through grit teeth, “I don’t want to see you because if I do…I would want to knock your brains out for making my friend cry.”  
“Look!” the cold voice broke out, “I’m sorry that I made your friend cry! I didn’t mean to hurt her the way I did! I was only saying what came to mind on those stupid desk notes!”  
“She enjoys seeing what you write every day” Natsu stated, he clenched his fists, “Every day I sit next to her in that class, I see her smile as she writes on the desk! She thinks that I don’t know? I hear her laughing as she writes!”  
He hit the brick work with a ‘thump.’ “She was happy at the thought that she was going to make some new friends again. Instead, you upset her.”  
“Why do you even care?” the voice came out, less cold and more quiet. “What did I genuinely say to make her so sad? It’s my illness, nobody else cares.”  
“Her Mum died” Natsu bit out, “Her Mother, wasted away in Hospital because of an illness. I was with them every single day. Her Mum never once said she was going to die in front of her daughter, she was always saying that she was going to come home and she was going to get better. We believed that.”  
Natsu felt the sadness descend upon him and start to crush his chest. “She was always so happy, we spoke to her that morning before school. After that, we weren’t allowed to go back to the Hospital. Her Mother died alone in that blasted hospital! And the Doctors said that she died with a smile on her face!”  
Natsu fought back the sad memories, “Lucy wasn’t the same after that. She still hasn’t gotten over it.”

“Lucy…” the voice was quiet. “Is that her name?”  
“Of course it is” Natsu snapped, “And you have made her cry! I said to her that I wasn’t going to let her cry ever again.”  
“You don’t know what I have been through” the cold voice suddenly came back with a vengeance, “I know you are only here protecting your friend. But how do you think I feel? Knowing that I am going to die long before anybody else! Knowing that my body is failing me, I’m sorry that I can’t be happy about dying!”  
There was a brief silence before he spat again, “I’m sick to death of people staring at me with pity in their eyes and whispering about how I am going to die. As if I don’t already know that.”  
“I want you to apologise to Lucy” Natsu said bitterly, “And actually give a damn about what she says, because nobody would know your pain as much as she would. She would be the only one to give a damn about who you are and how she can make you _happy_.”  
Natsu stepped off the wall, “I’m going to leave before I reach around there and hit your head against the bricks. I will hunt you down if you hurt her again _and that’s a promise_.”


	2. Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started with- Hi, how are you. Little did Lucy Heartfilia know, scratching that graffiti into her desk would change the life she knew forever.

_‘Hey, look, I’m sorry if I had hurt your feelings about being blasé about my illness. It’s just something that I have had to deal with for a long time and it’s gotten to me. Still want to write desk notes with me?’_

Lucy stared long and hard at the desk note Tuesday morning.  
She, Levy and Elfman hadn’t written anything on the desk on Monday, Lucy’s feelings still sore about the mysterious person’s attitude.  
She stole a quick gaze to Natsu who seemed to have a poisonous look on his face as he spotted the rather long desk note on the table.  
Was Natsu getting jealous?  
Or had something happened?

With a sigh, Lucy opened her pencil case back up and pulled out her trusty pen. Then she wrote her note down.

_‘I suppose I can forgive you. You shouldn’t let your illness or others get to you. It should mean that you should go out and live the life you have left. Everybody deserves to be happy. Of course, I will still write desk notes with you. Maybe we can be friends down the track when we meet each other.’_

It was a long desk note but Lucy left class with a small smile on her face.  
She didn’t notice Natsu quickly read the notes before nodding his head in satisfaction before rushing up to meet her as they walked to their next class.

…………..

_‘You have a rather positive outlook on life don’t you? I will try to take your words to heart. I thought we were already friends?... You want to meet me as well?’_

Lucy felt lonely in Class on Wednesday. Natsu was away and she suddenly felt vulnerable to the whole world without her loudmouth idiot next to her.  
She looked at his empty desk and had to smile when she saw all the little pictures graffitied on the desk. Though they were together every day, Lucy couldn’t really stand to be without Natsu. He protected her from the whole world.

So ignoring the crushing fact that Natsu wasn’t going to be with her today, she done the next thin that would take her mind off things. She grabbed her pen and began her desk note.

_‘If you’re unhappy, you will disappear faster. It’s better to leave an impression while you still have the chance. Wouldn’t you want to go out with a blast? :) I’m so glad that we are friends now. Of course I still want to meet you. Do you want to organise something so we can meet? It’s a big campus.’_

……………

_‘Of course. :) Thanks for making me feel a little bit better. I have a Doctor’s Appointment this afternoon. Wish me luck. We can organise something tomorrow (Thursday) I suppose.’_

Lucy felt a glimmer of satisfaction as she read the note Thursday morning. She pulled the contents out of her pencil case as Class began. She looked up with a smile plastered on her face as Natsu came into class.

He fell into his seat beside her, Lucy gave him a quick one-armed hug, and beamed, “I’m going to organise something tomorrow with the desk writer Natsu. He went to a Doctor’s Appointment yesterday but everything will be alright. I can introduce you, Levy and Elfman to him and we can all be friends.”  
“That’s great” Natsu smiled to her, “I’m happy Luce, you have a good way with people.”  
Lucy felt like she could burst with happiness, she pulled out her pen and wrote the instructions to what she wanted done so she could meet this mysterious desk writer.

_‘Ok, since you won’t see this until later on this afternoon, I will wait out in the back car park. I own a red BMW Convertible. Meet me after school ‘kay?’_

He didn’t turn up that afternoon and Lucy went home with a heavy heart.

……………….

_‘Is everything okay? Why didn’t you come on Thursday? You won’t see this until Monday but I hope everything is alright.’_

She left that Friday morning and went home for the weekend. She never noticed the dark gleams in Natsu’s eyes when he realised that she had been stood up.

……………..

She got nothing on Tuesday.  
Or Wednesday  
Or Thursday

Everything was silent and Lucy couldn’t bite down the dread that was filling her.  
On Friday when there was still no response, Lucy was gloomy come lunchtime. She trudged along with Natsu to their usual lunch spot to meet up with Levy and Elfman.

As they arrived, a young girl with stunning white hair like him accompanied Elfman. She had the biggest blue eyes Lucy had ever seen and a sweet smile.  
“Hello” she greeted the pair.  
Elfman clapped the young girl on the back of the shoulder, “Lucy, Natsu, this is my baby sister Lisanna. She wanted to meet everyone.”  
“Hello Lisanna” Lucy smiled, “Elfman has told me about you.”   
Natsu nodded his head in agreement before flinging down on the bench beside Levy and rummaging through his bag. Lucy followed him and Lisanna sat down beside Elfman.

“Anyway” she said, “As I was saying, I have heard rumours going around. I was in Med Class studying when my Teacher came in and started saying that someone had gone into hospital. He’s in your grade apparently. He’s sick; the teacher said he might die on the weekend.  
Lucy froze and Levy turned her head to look at her, her eyes widened as well and Elfman started to sputter, “W-What? Lisanna when did you find this out?”  
“It’s been going on for like a week now,” Lisanna said with a confused look, “I wasn’t aware that you knew this person. Should I have told you sooner?”  
Lucy began to tremble and Natsu put a comforting hand on her shoulder, Levy dropped her sandwich before Elfman got the hint and asked again, “Did you know his name?”

Lisanna looked confused at the sudden change of mood, “The teacher only said his name was Gray. That was it. I-I’m sorry. Were you guys his friend?”  
“I’m fine” Lucy stuttered as Levy gave her a concerned look, “I-I knew something like this was going to happen. I shouldn’t have gotten our hopes up, it- it’s the worst thing-…” her eyes began to fill up with tears.   
“Hey” Natsu soothed, “Luce it’ll be fine, how about we go to the hospital this afternoon?” he looked to a dazed and guilty looking Lisanna, “Did the teacher say what Hospital he was at?”

Lisanna nodded her head shakily, “He’s in the Magnolia Public. His family couldn’t afford Private.”  
Levy grabbed Lucy’s hand and she said seriously. “You text me right away okay?”  
“Same here” Elfman declared and Lucy only nodded her head.

……………

“Lucky my car was out of fuel huh?” Natsu said as he climbed into the passenger seat of Lucy’s car. “Cause there was no way I could have gotten home. But then again, I would have come with you regardless.”

Lucy started the car and put on her large, dark sunglasses to hide the fact that she had teary eyes. She pulled from the car park and sped down towards the highway. She avoided school kids and other cars before speeding out onto the road and towards the hospital.  
“Thanks for coming Natsu” she finally whispered as her knuckles went white as she gripped the steering wheel. “I-I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She began to sniffle, “I-I feel awful. I made him get his hopes up, I told him that I was going to meet him and be his friend, now he could be already dead. Natsu, I haven’t even met this guy…Why do I feel like this?”

Natsu stared at his friend helplessly, “It’s because of your Mum Luce” he tried to explain, “You want to help people because your Mum told you to. You are trying to make people happy.”

Lucy had tears escaping from underneath the rim of her glasses, “I hate how people have to suffer the way they do. Why do they have to die from sickness?”  
She rounded the roundabout and followed the sign leading up to Magnolia Public Hospital. She went into the car park and pulled up sharply into a spot. Both she and Natsu jerked against their seatbelts before Lucy yanked hers off and flung open the door.  
Natsu did the same and they shut the doors and power walked to the front doors of the hospital.  
Only when they reached the service desk, Lucy realised that she didn’t even know this persons last name.  
The nurse looked up at the breathless pair before Lucy composed herself, “Hello, I’m after somebody by the name of Gray? He was admitted most probably last Wednesday or Thursday?” 

The Nurse gave them both a steely glance before she looked down to her clipboard, “Do you mean Gray Fullbuster? He was the only Doctor admittance last week.”   
“That’s the one,” Natsu said, “Are we able to see him?”  
The Nurse sighed, “Are you family?”  
“Well…no” Lucy said, “We’re friends of his, from school?”

The nurse looked slightly surprised at the statement, she picked up her clipboard and studied it, “Mr Fullbuster is very sick, but I think a little visit won’t hurt. Ward D Room 9, he is in there by himself.”  
“Thankyou” Lucy breathed, lifting up her sunglasses to reveal tear stained cheeks, “Thank you so much.”  
As they left, the Nurse sat down back at the computer. The nurse beside her watched the pair round the corner before she muttered, “Thought I recognised them.”

“Who” the other nurse asked, “Did you know them.”   
“Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel; when I worked up at the Private a few years ago, Lucy’s Mother Layla was terminally ill, she died, but every day those two came to visit her. It made Layla stronger and more determined to live before she left us.” She stapled some papers together, “I think that’s what Gray Fullbuster needs, that he knows when he is needed in the world.”

…………

Lucy felt bone crushingly nostalgic as she made her way through the Hospital. It brought back so many unwanted and sad memories. More tears escaped her eyes and Natsu muttered, “I remember why I hated hospitals so much. Are you sure you want to do this Luce?”  
“Yes” Lucy retorted, “We can’t turn back now Natsu.”

As they reached Ward D, Lucy counted the rooms until she reached a dimly lit Room 9.   
She heard beeps and whirrs coming from inside and she reached the open door and knocked slightly. She peeked into the room and saw an ebony haired young man in the bed.

Large drips were connected to his arms, his hair was dull and limp and missing some small patches. His skin was tight and sallow looking. His blue eyes were void of life as he turned his head to stare at her.  
Lucy crept in, making sure not to make too much noise. She gave him a soft smile and sat in the seat beside the bed as Natsu stood at the door and watched them with sad eyes.

“Hi Gray” Lucy whispered, she saw the confusion flicker in his eyes and she continued, “My names Lucy. A few months ago, I wrote a desk note in the back right hand corner of Classroom 11. A mysterious person wrote back to me, one who gave me my beloved friends.”  
Recognition flashed through Gray’s eyes and his face fell into a smile, “For a second” he rasped, “I thought you were an Angel.”  
Lucy’s eyes began to water again, tears streaming down her cheeks again, “There was no way that I was going to let an Angel take you away before I met you.”  
She sniffled, “When you didn’t reply to my desk note, I began to worry. Then, today when Elfman’s sister said that someone went to hospital, I knew it was you straight away. I sped all the way here because I wanted to meet you…so much.”

Gray’s suddenly covered her hands, she looked up at him through blurred eyes, “I didn’t want you to go thinking that nobody cared about you. That’s something I learnt from my Mum, she died three years ago and till the day she died, she was always so happy.”  
“Lucy…” Gray heaved in a deep breath, “You’re brave, I can see it in your face. You sit here next to a complete stranger and cry for him?”  
“Y-You’re my friend” Lucy sobbed, “The desk note you left said we were friends, what sort of friend would I be if I let a friend die alone in a hospital bed?”  
Gray chuckled and looked up at the roof, “I’m not dead yet Lucy” he said, “I have something called Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. My blood is cancerous and there’s not much the Doctors can do about it, the latest thing they are talking about is a Bone Marrow Transfusion. Problem is, I have a rare blood type and I have no matches. It won’t save my life but probably only extend it for another three years or more.”

He chuckled, “If I don’t get this transfusion, I’ll most probably be gone within the month. I’m so tired of it all Lucy. So tired.”  
Lucy sniffled and grasped Gray’s hand, her eyes fluttered up to the whiteboard above his bed where it said his name.

Gray Fullbuster  
Doctor: Dr Petersen  
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: Blood Type B+

Lucy looked back to Natsu who was looking straight at her, “Do what you want to do Lucy” his eyes seemed to say.  
She squeezed Gray’s hands, “It will be fine Gray, everything will be ok. I promise you, as your friend.” Gray smiled to her, “If there was any means for me to stay alive, I would take it Lucy. So I can spend more time with you…Why didn’t I meet…you sooner?”

He began to cough; he pulled his hands away from Lucy and covered his mouth. He hacked into them, drawing his hands away; Lucy saw spots of blood decorating his palms. “I’m sorry,” he wheezed with a grimace. “I-took some medication and its making me ill, it’s supposed to knock me out…”  
Lucy stood up as Gray wiped his hands on a bloodstained towel next to his bed, “I’m going to let you sleep Gray. I will be back tomorrow. I promise, you rest and get some sleep.”

Gray slumped against his pillow, “Alright Angel” he smiled, “Are you sure I’m not dead yet?”   
Lucy shook her head, “Have a good night Gray.”  
The blonde left the room, stalking past Natsu who began to run along beside her. They walked down towards the reception area and Natsu looked to his dear friend, “Are you sure you want to do this Lucy?”

Lucy nodded, “You know I have always been a blood donor Natsu, if there is a chance to save him I am going to take it.”  
“It’s bone marrow though” Natsu said, “It’s a lot more painful than giving blood.”

Lucy reached the reception desk and put her hands on the table in front of the nurses. They looked up at her and Lucy declared, “My name is Lucy Heartfilia, My blood type is B+, I have been giving blood for three years now. Where can I speak to a Doctor to donate Bone Marrow?”


	3. Heart of Gold

“Lucy what?”

Levy stared wide-eyed at the papers that Lucy had sprawled out in front of her as the girls sat in Lucy’s bedroom, “You can donate?”

Lucy scanned over the papers, “Yes” she said seriously, “Levy, I saw Gray on Friday afternoon, he is such a kind person and I don’t want him to suffer the way he is. If there is any way I can help I want to.”

She piled some more papers up, “So yesterday, I saw a Bone Marrow Specialist and got some tests and scans done to see if I was a match and I was.”

 

Levy looked unsure, “You want to risk your life for a complete stranger?”

Lucy almost scoffed, “People do it all the time, besides, donating blood and marrow will only make me feel a little ill, it won’t kill me.”

Before the girls could speak anymore, there was a knock at Lucy’s bedroom door. It flung open a second later and Natsu appeared, “How’d it go?” he asked, “Is everything matching what the Doctor gave you?”

Lucy smiled and bunched everything together, “Everything is fine Natsu, are you ready to go back to the Doctors?”

Natsu swung his keys around in his finger, “Of course” he smiled toothily, “Let’s go then sunshine.” He sent a casual glance to Levy, “Do you want to come with us?”

Levy looked a little downcast, she shook her head, “I’m okay Natsu,” she muttered looking down to the floor. “I need to go home; I will see you on Monday.”

Lucy felt sadness clutch at her as Levy grabbed her bag and keys and left the room, breezing past Natsu and disappearing out the front door. Natsu sent her a questioning glance, “What’s the matter with Levy?” he asked.

“She’s worried what will happen to me.” Lucy sighed, getting up off the floor and arranging her papers in her bag, “But I want to do this, I promised Gray that everything will be okay.”

Natsu sent her a half smile, “Heck Luce, even I couldn’t stop you. Once you mind is made up that’s it, there’s nothing I can do about it.” He gestured to the open door, “Ready to go and do this?” Lucy nodded, with a genuine smile on her face, “Mama will be so proud of us Natsu.”

* * *

 

Lucy crept into Gray’s hospital room after her appointment with the Doctor holding a large bouquet of flowers Natsu had bought her to give to Gray.

He stirred and opened his eyes as she came in, he smiled, “Hey Lucy, It’s a surprise to see you.”

“Nonsense” Lucy chuckled adjusting the large bouquet in her arms and peeking around it to smile at Gray. “I would come and see you every day if you would let me.”

She made her way to the small bedside table to put her flowers down; before making her way to the small sink on the side of the room and looked underneath it. She pulled out a small vase and began to fill it with water.

“I can see that you have practise in all of this” Gray smiled admiring the flowers, “Where’s your friend?”

Lucy fixed the flowers in the vase, “Natsu? Oh he went down to the food court to get something to eat while I came here to see you.” She looked around the room, “It’s rather gloomy in here, mind if I open the blinds?”

“Go ahead? Gray chuckled “I wouldn’t mind some sunlight actually.”

Lucy jumped to the curtains and pulled them open, letting the light flood in. When she spun around, she masked the grimace of shock when she saw the extent of Gray’s illness and what it had done to his body. She made sure she did not send him a pitying look, an age-old experience that had been drilled into her by her Mother.

She gave him a beaming smile, “So how was your day today? I miss your desk notes, so does Levy and Elfman.”

“So those are their names huh?” Gray chuckled “Let me guess, Elfman is the one that always wrote the ‘manly’ comments?”

“Yep” Lucy laughed, “He’s actually like that in real life as well, he looks really scary but he’s a really nice person. You wouldn’t pick it.” She smiled at him, “And Levy and I are really good friends, all because of our desk notes.”

Gray simply sat back against his pillow with a small smile on his face as Lucy rambled on about the desk notes. She twirled around in a quick circle and Gray supressed a violent cough as he went to speak to her.

“So are you and your ‘friend’ going out?”

Lucy stopped short and stared at him with wide brown eyes, “Me? Go out with Natsu?” she seemed shaken by the thought, “Natsu is my closest friend, our relationship would be ruined if we started dating…He has been there with me through the hard times. Natsu is part of my family; I love him as I would a sibling.”

Before Gray could say anything else, there was a slight knock on the door and a nurse came in. She held a clipboard and she had the biggest smile on her face as she strode over the linoleum floor. “Good news Gray” she beamed, “I just spoke with the Doctor, Guess what?”

Lucy didn’t miss the glimmer in Gray’s eyes, “I get to go home for a little while?” he asked.

The nurse giggled, “We found a suitable blood donor that is going to give you bone marrow Gray” she informed him, “You’re going to get better and you will get to go home and go back to school.”

“Really?” Gray sat upright, “Do you know who it is? Would I be able to see them and say thank you?”

“I’m sorry” the Nurse smiled “All donations are anonymous, but I suppose it’s your lucky day Gray, all you have to do is believe.” She hooked up the clipboard, checked Gray’s IV bag before leaving the room.

Lucy’s heart could have burst at that moment when she saw Gray’s face lighten and tears filled his eyes. He covered them with the crook of his arm and his shoulders began to shake. “I-I can’t believe it” he sobbed, “A-After so long, there’s…I-Is this real?”

Lucy went over to the side of the bed and put her hand on his shoulder, “Oh Gray” she smiled, “That’s great news, I’m so happy for you. You get to come back to school, we can be friends finally! We can continue our Desk Notes with Levy and Elfman!”

Gray lowered his arm, his face stained with tears, “I-I don’t know what to do Lucy” he muttered, his voice shaking from the shock, “I have been on a list for over a year and a half now, waiting for a suitable donor. T-The chance has finally come and I all I can do is bloody cry about it…”

He chuckled as more tears streamed down his face, “How pathetic can I get?” he laughed trying to wipe them away.

Lucy knelt down, a soft smile on her face, “I’m so glad Gray. You would be able to live longer and do things that you have always wanted to do. I believe that you should be happy Gray, life is the greatest gift…It really is.”

They both looked up when another presence filled the room, Natsu stood at the door with an armful of paper bags and a cream tart hanging out his mouth. He blinked several times at a crying Gray with Lucy beside him. A muffled sound came out and cream began to appear around Natsu’s mouth making him look like he was rabid.

“Everything’s fine Natsu” Lucy laughed getting to her feet, she looked down to Gray, “That means we have to go now Gray, but I will be back later on this week okay? Let me know when the operation is so I can be there to cheer you on.”

“Look forward to it Lucy” Gray smiled up to her, “It’s nice knowing that somebody cares on what happens to me.”

Lucy waved, grabbing her bag and walking to the door. She grabbed some bags off Natsu who waved his hand in Gray’s general direction before walking away.

 

As the pair left the hospital room, Natsu looked to Lucy “Haw di’ it gofm?” he asked with the bun in his mouth.

Lucy simply nodded her head, a large smile on her face and tears rolling down her cheeks.

_‘It went…good…’_

* * *

 

“I’m scheduled to go in on Wednesday” Lucy announced that Tuesday at school, “We had to do a lot of tests and scans to make sure I was suitable and healthy, normally, it would take over a week. But since Gray is so sick, they are going to do it straight away.”

“What you are doing is Man…” Elfman announced with a smile on his face, “Always the one to help others, even when they are complete strangers.”

“I’m glad for you Lucy” Levy smiled lightly, “But I wish there was another way to help without risking yourself. What happens if you suffer from some repercussions from the surgery?”

“I’ll be fine” Lucy waved it off with a smile, “Besides, I have you two and I have Natsu. Between the three of you, you would be able to look after me right?”

“Of course I would look after you” came the indignant response of Natsu, “I will be with you for twenty four hours, seven days a week if I had to.”

Lucy smiled at her best friend, “Thanks Natsu” she said softly, “Anyway, I will only feel a little tired and sore. I would still be able to walk around and do things.” She raised her hands above her head, “Donating life is the best thing a person like me can do, you should have seen Gray’s reaction, he cried guys, he cried and it near broke my heart.”

“It takes a real man to cry,” Elfman seemed to sniff, “You’re doing a great thing Lucy, I’m really proud of you.”

“I am as well” Natsu butted in, “But…I have always been proud of Lucy! I’m so glad that she is my best friend as well, because when people talk about her, I can just turn around and say to them… She is my best friend in the whole world; I wouldn’t give her up for anything.”

The beaming smile on Natsu’s face made Lucy’s heart swell in admiration of Natsu’s kindness, true he could be a brainless idiot who was clueless about many things, but when it came to his friendship with Lucy, he treasured it with his entire life.

He punched the air, “We’ll knock them dea…” he stopped mid-way through the sentence before he tried to redeem himself… “Alive?”

Lucy, Levy and Elfman could only laugh.

* * *

 

On Wednesday afternoon, Lucy woke up from the anaesthesia feeling as if a train had hit her. She lay in the hospital cot looking up at a white plasterboard ceiling. Her pelvic bones where they had inserted the needles hurt, a sharp ache coursing up and down her spine.

She took in a deep shuddering breath, fighting back the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. She got the acrid taste in her mouth, the inside of her cheeks salivating as she fought the urge not to vomit.

She took several deep breaths through her nose before realising it was too late. She was going to vomit and she had to do it now.

Her cheeks ballooned out and she hurried up, wincing in pain in her lower back before leaning over the cot to vomit her guts up.

But it didn’t hit the floor, a bright yellow bucket suddenly appeared underneath her and her tangled hair was pulled back over her shoulder.

When Lucy finished, she choked out “I’m sorry.”

Tears obscured her view, the bucket was taken away and Natsu’s cheerful voice came out, “What are friends for Luce? I’ll get you a glass of water, the Nurse said you might get sick when you wake up, so I was lucky I grabbed the bucket.”

Lucy sat back against her pillows wiping the tears from her eyes; she heard the tap run then shut off. Natsu came back to her bed and handed it to her, “Just wash your mouth out” he smiled at her, “If you want another drink, I’ll get you another glass.”

Lucy did what she was told and washed the vile taste out of her mouth before Natsu got her another glass of water to drink. He sat down beside the cot, “I’m really proud of you Lucy” he beamed at her, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling a little sore” Lucy admitted, “A little sick, but I will be fine. Did you find out when Gray is getting the operation?”

Natsu nodded, “Tomorrow afternoon at three ‘o’ clock, when you’re ready, you can get changed and we can leave. It’s a quick operation isn’t it? We can see Gray if you want before you leave.”

Lucy chuckled, “If Papa found out that I went to the Public Hospital to donate, I would get the lecture of the century. He always prefers me to go Private because he funds it.”

“Please” Natsu snorted, “If your Dad really wanted to, he could own the Hospital. He wouldn’t have a problem adding another public domain to list of things that he owns. Imagine having your last name printed over the front of the Private Hospital?”

“Don’t mention things like that” Lucy sighed, “I don’t like being stared at already because of my last name. Just because I’m an Heiress doesn’t mean I love money.”

Natsu handed her clothes, “I’ll call the nurse and see what we can do.”

* * *

 

Lucy leant hard on Natsu later on that Wednesday afternoon; she didn’t want to alert Gray that she was in pain.

As they walked into the room, Lucy couldn’t help but smile. She masked her face of the pained expressions and saw that the curtains had been pulled aside and her flowers were still standing on the bedside table.

Gray was sitting upright in his bed, his eyes scanning over a puzzle book; he looked up when Lucy and Natsu walked into the room. He gave Lucy a happy grin, “Lucy” he called “I was hoping that you would come by today, I have to tell you something.”

Lucy broke away from Natsu; keeping her face composed “Yeah?” she asked happily, “What’s happening?”

“I’m getting my transfusion” Gray declared happily, “Tomorrow afternoon, then I’ll be out of this blasted place.”

Lucy couldn’t help but squeal excitedly, “Oh that’s great,” she cried clapping her hands together, “Then we can finally stop coming here.”

Gray smiled, “You never seem to fail in making me smile Lucy, seeing you so happy for me makes me feel…wanted.”

“Of course” Lucy grinned, “After Mama, I want everybody in the hospital to get better and go out and live their life an if I could, I would help everybody.”

She met Gray’s soft smile, “Are you sure you’re not an angel?” he muttered with pink cheeks.

Lucy went red and Natsu had to ruin the moment, “Pfft Lucy- an angel? As if…”

 

Gray laughed and Lucy flushed from embarrassment this time. She smacked Natsu on the arm before getting back on topic, “So after your transfusions, how long would you live here for? How long will your tests go?”

Gray’s smile faltered and his face went calculating, “If everything goes well, within the month hopefully. I’ll be back at school writing graffiti on the desk in no time.”

“You’ll have to come and see me,” Lucy said with pink cheeks, “Do you have a phone?”

“Of course I do.” Gray brandished a mobile phone from underneath his pillow and held it out to Lucy, “Put your number in” he grinned. Lucy took the touch phone and typed her number in it. She handed it back to Gray, who promptly pressed the screen a few times before Lucy heard her phone tingling from her bag that Natsu was holding.

Gray grinned, “Making sure you didn’t give me a number to one of those nasty rejection lines.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Lucy protested, taking her phone from Natsu and saving the number that appeared on the screen under ‘Gray.’

“I’m not like one of those nasty girls. If someone I didn’t like asked me for my number, I would tell them that I didn’t like them and _no_ they can’t have my number.”

“She would” Natsu seconded her, “I have seen that happen a few times.”

Lucy gave her phone back to Natsu and waved to Gray, “Alright, I’ll talk to you later ‘kay?” She tried to twirl but failed…dramatically. She ended up walking out of the room rather stiffly.

 

As she and Natsu left the room, Natsu looked at her amused, “That hurt didn’t it Luce?”

Lucy grimaced putting her hands on her sore spots on her hips and hobbling beside her friend.

“Pass the keys” Natsu gloated holding out his hand dramatically, “Man I love it when I can drive the BMW.”

“Shut it” Lucy snarled through grit teeth, “They’re in my bag Natsu, consider yourself damn lucky that you can drive my car this time, because this will be the _only_ time you will.”

And from his bedroom, all Gray could hear was loud laughter echoing down the hall.  


	4. Closing

_‘Lucy, sorry about not sending you a message earlier, jeez, it’s like Saturday already. Everything went well, I’m getting better. The Doctor says that I won’t be cured but I have a good number of years added to my life. – It’s Gray by the way-‘_

_‘Gray that’s great news- about you getting better, ignore the Doctor, something will come around and you can be cured of your leukaemia. We will find a way, when do you get out of the hospital? - By the way, I knew it was you-‘_

_‘Doctor says I can be out as early as week after this one, I’ll have to stay at home for a  little while, but by then, I should be strong enough to do things. Can’t actually believe I’m going to say this but…I’m actually looking forward to go back to school.’_

_‘Can’t wait to see you out of the hospital. :) Let me know when you get out so I can organise something with everybody, promise to keep in touch.’_

_‘Oh I will, I have a bone to pick with you Lucy Heartfilia!’_

_‘- :D –‘_

* * *

 

Lucy hummed away as she cleaned the desks after first period. She sprayed the surface cleaner and wiped it over with the cloth, grinning as she did so. She had been caught drawing on the desk and was now stuck with this job before the second class began.

It had been a week since she last spoke to Gray as he went in and out Doctor’s appointments and him losing the charger to his phone. Lucy hadn’t been able to see him once he got out of the hospital, so all she had to do now was wait for one little desk note.

Ever faithful Natsu was waiting outside when Lucy grabbed her things and walked from the classroom.

“Had any notes yet?” he asked and Lucy shook her head still humming. The pair walked from the undercover walkway and across the courtyard, “Do you think he’ll let us know when he’s back at school?” she finally muttered, “Like…texting me that morning so I can see him before class starts?”

Natsu shrugged, “Probably not.”

* * *

 

“I haven’t spoken to him all week!”

Lucy pulled the straw from her popper forcefully, “Nothing! And since I have no clue where he lives, I can’t go and kick his cancerous butt!”

“Now, now Lucy” Levy laughed, “He’ll turn up when he gets better, he won’t leave us in the dark about such an important issue.”

“A real man wouldn’t do that! Don’t worry about it Lucy. There’s no need to get so annoyed,” Elfman tried to say, “I thought you had said not to mention the fact that he had cancer?”

 

A sigh came out, “I’m sorry, just… I thought Gray and I sort of connected” Lucy admitted, “I was beginning to think that we were becoming good friends and after I went through surgery to give him the bone marrow and moreorless saved his life, I would have thought he would contact me by now.”

“Just chill Luce” Natsu sat back on the bench lazily, “Don’t expect everything at once, the dude just barely escaped death, give him to readjust. You’re being selfish.”

Lucy didn’t bite back, she only shrunk down in her seat, guilt flashing across her face, “Alright” she muttered, “I’ll stop.”

* * *

 

“Give me your keys.”

Lucy stared at Natsu incredulously, clutching her car keys in her hand. “No” she stated “Why?”

“Lucy just give me your keys” Natsu looked like he wasn’t in the mood for screwing around. “Hey” Lucy snapped, “You carpooled with me! In _my_ car, I drive the BMW.”

“Whatever” Natsu rolled his eyes, “I drive the Porsche without any difficulty, I can drive your BMW…Because you aren’t driving.”

Lucy stopped in the car park, getting more annoyed that Natsu was demanding her keys.

Kids milled around them and all Lucy wanted to do was go home. Natsu made a grab for the keys and Lucy jumped back, raising her hand to smack Natsu across the head. He looked up, green eyes flashing, “Come off it!” he snapped, “Lucy turn around!”

Lucy was suddenly aware of a loud rumble coming up behind her, other people stopped around them, staring and leaning in to whisper to each other.

Lucy spun around and saw a large blue and black motorbike pull up behind her with the rider wearing a black helmet.

They choked the motor and stood on one leg to support the large bike, then raised their hands and lifted the helmet up.

Lucy blushed, feeling a laugh build up in her chest as she saw a wild mess of ebony hair and striking dark eyes regard her. “Were you beginning to think that I skipped out on you?” Gray asked with a smile.

“You finally came to school” she laughed, “Yes, you’re right; I was beginning to think you skimped out on me Gray Fullbuster.”

The young man laughed and grabbed a helmet from the back seat of the bike and handed it to her. “Get on” he said, “I’m going to take you for a ride.”

“Eh?” Lucy stared in horror at the helmet being offered to her and from beside her, Natsu grinned, “See why you aren’t driving home today?”

“Y-You knew” Lucy shrieked at her best friend, “You didn’t tell me?” she went to go hit Natsu with her car keys, but the pink haired young man only grabbed her fist and pried the keys from her fingers.

With red cheeks, Lucy turned back to Gray and hesitantly took the black and red helmet from his hand. She stared at her reflection in the visor and then smoothed down her hair with her other hand. “I’ve never ridden a motorbike before” she gulped, “A-Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Of course it is” Gray soothed her, “I’ve been riding motorbikes ever since I have been a kid. Its second nature, I promise I will keep you safe.”

“Go on Lucy!” a voice cheered behind them, both Gray and Lucy looked up. Levy came running up to them with Elfman and Lisanna behind her. Lucy was blushing like wildfire as her friend bounded up and stood on her tiptoes to beam at Gray.

“I take it that you are Mr Gray Fullbuster? The one Lucy speaks about all the time? I’m Levy McGarden.”

“And I’m the man Elfman!” the brute said, trying to look menacing, “If you do anything to hurt Lucy, you’ll be speaking to my fists!”

“He’d have to go through me first,” Natsu said darkly before shoving Lucy in the shoulder, “Now go Lucy” he smiled, “Go and have some fun.”

“We’ll see you later” Levy smiled, “It’s nice to finally meet you Gray.”

Lucy put on the helmet, feeling around to tie the straps and walking to Gray with trembling legs. “Come on” he encouraged her, “Just get on the back; you can either hold the side bars or my waist. I don’t mind either way.”

Lucy got on the bike, biting her lip furiously; she grabbed hold of the bars either side of the tiny seat behind Gray.

He put his helmet on and then revved the life back into the motorbike, he changed the gears back to neutral before kick-starting it forward.

Levy cheered and Natsu waved goodbye, Gray jerked the motorbike forward and Lucy let loose a squeal as she tumbled forward against Gray. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and held on for dear life as Gray roared from the car park, ignoring all the open gapes he was receiving from the other school kids.

They reached the highway, Gray changed gears and the roar of the motorbike got higher as they went faster. Lucy was able to feel her hair whipping out behind her and she kept her grip firmly around Gray, biting back the burn of her cheeks as the close proximity of Gray to her.

They rode from the highway and up through Magnolia, Gray turned off and Lucy realised that they were going to Cherry Tree Point, A high mountain point that overlooks the entire city of Magnolia. Gray cruised up the winding road, hit the picnic area and killed the motor.

Silence instantly fell upon the pair and Lucy unwound her arms from Gray and scrambled off the bike. She pulled the helmet off and quickly checked her reflection making sure her hair wasn’t static. Gray followed suit a lot more slowly and chuckled as he took off his own helmet, “Your hair is fine Lucy, there’s no need to fuss over it.”

He took Lucy’s helmet off her and slung both of them off the handlebars of the bike. Then the pair made their way to the lookout.

Lucy felt the fresh air whip through her hair and she looked over the fences surrounding the lookout and smiled in wonderment, “I never knew Magnolia looked so pretty up here?” she looked over the trees and over the buildings that built up the city she loved so much.

Gray leant on the fence beside her and outright said, “Why’d you do it for Lucy?”

Lucy looked away from the city and met Gray’s face, “Do what?” she asked innocently, feeling her palms start to prickle from nervousness.

“Why did you decide to save my life?” Gray asked softly, “You could have let me die and nobody would have even known that I even existed. Instead, you give me your blood; you gave me life. So why?”

Lucy stood straight and faced him, “I wrote a desk note and somebody replied back to it. He became the anonymous person that I wanted to meet, when I found out that there could have been a reason stopping me from meeting you. I decided that it would be best to help you… You’re my friend Gray, I know you might not see me as a friend…But it’s what we do for each…”

Lucy was suddenly cut off when Gray got off the fence, closed the gap between them and pushed his lips against Lucy’s.

Lucy’s eyes popped wide and the shock pumped through her as Gray lifted his hands and cupped her face gently. It was…sweet.

Feeling warm and fuzzy inside, Lucy let all her doubts and worries wash away. Her fingers reached up and tangled in Gray’s black spikes. She smiled into Gray’s soft lips, let everything melt away from her conscious and blissfully closed her eyes.

* * *

 

Several weeks had passed.

Lucy wandered into the class with Natsu strolling in behind her, she waved to a couple of people and a girl spoke out, “Is it true that you and Gray Fullbuster are together Lucy? Did you really save his life?”

“We aren’t together” Lucy gushed, “And all I did was help a friend in need.”

She and Natsu walked into the classroom and Lucy saw with horror that all the rickety desks had been replaced by flash white desks with the seats connected to them.

“Oh no” she whispered, “W-Where’d my desk go?” She raced to the back corner and looked down at the even more fake looking desk and felt sadness wash through her. “T-They couldn’t have gotten rid of the old desks” she cried.

“Hey settle down Luce” Natsu tried to assure her, “I’m sure they haven’t gotten rid of them all. Why are you so devastated about that old desk?”

Lucy started to feel tears prickling at the back of her eyes, “I-I met Gray, Levy and Elfman through that desk, it’s something that connected us…T-They couldn’t have tossed it away! It was so important to me!”

“Settle down” Natsu soothed her, “We will figure something out alright; you will see Gray and everyone at lunch alright. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

Even though Lucy tried to heed his words, it continued to bother her throughout the whole lesson and the rest of that day.

* * *

 

“Those new desks are really uncomfortable.”

Levy was rubbing her lower back, “The plastic hurts my back, thinking that I have to sit at those desks all day everyday really sucks.”

Lucy kicked at the asphalt, “I hate those new desks” she muttered, “I can’t believe they were replaced.”

“They hold some significance to you do they Lucy?” Elfman asked. Lucy nodded, “We met through those desks. Don’t you see why it is important to me?”

Levy nodded, “I know Lucy, but how are you going to get this desk if you want it so bad? There’s not much we can do if we don’t want to get into trouble.” Lucy could only agree with her friend and Natsu sat back against the wall, “We’ll see what we can do Lucy, I said that before didn’t I? It won’t be hard to nab a desk from the garbage.”

“Here comes Gray,” Elfman rumbled, “Here to steal Lucy again.”

Lucy looked up and saw Gray walking towards them with his bag slung over his arm. He raised his hand over his head and waved. She felt her heart start to hammer in her chest, her face start to go hot and the butterflies came to life in her stomach.

Ever since that day, Gray hadn’t kissed he. But it didn’t stop Lucy from wishing it would happen again. She had never felt this way about a person before, she got jealous when Gray was bailed up by other girls in the hall or when he was pushed around by the jocks.

Gray was _hers_.

As he came towards them, Lucy stood up and walked to him. He gave her a lazy smile and Lucy couldn’t stop the thundering in her whole body. “Hey” he said to her, “How was class?”

Lucy tried to fight down the blush and wrung her hands together, doing an awkward little sway on her feet. “Class is boring…as always” she managed to choke out, “Did you see what they did to the classroom?”

Gray nodded, “I did. Don’t worry; I’m sure I can get my hands on that desk you sat at. You’re like an open book Lucy; I knew right away that you would be troubled about having a new desk.”

_‘I’m like an open book?’_ Lucy thought furiously, _‘He can see that I am acting like a complete fool around him because of my stupid feelings?’_

Gray only laughed at her, “Come on Angel” he joked, “Let’s sit down and have something to eat.”

* * *

 

‘ _Let’s do something tonight...Just you and me :)’_

Lucy slapped her hands over her cheeks to feel the heat rising from them at the sweet little desk note the next morning. Instead of writing back on the desk, she pulled out her phone and sent a text message to Gray.

_‘Of course, that sounds great. What do you want to do? I’m excited already.’_

* * *

 

Natsu sat back against his crappy white desk and watched his best friend text on her phone before reaching up and rubbing off the desk note from her desk. Her face was red, her eyes were glistening and he couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit jealous.

He was supposed to be the one that always protected her from the world, but it seemed like he had to be handing over the torch sometime soon. Lucy wasn’t always going to be his; he was going to lose her to Gray someday.

But…then again… he was happy for her. Happy that she had found someone that made her laugh and enjoy life once again, there was only so much he could have done as a best friend.

_‘I’m glad for you Luce’_ he thought to himself, _‘I’m so proud, Layla would be as well.’_

With a small smile on his face, Natsu sat up in his chair and reached for his pencil case. He unzipped it, pulled out a pen and poised it over the desk.

_‘It worked for her’_ he thought simply, _‘Why shouldn’t I give it a go?’_

Then, Natsu Dragneel wrote on the desk, starting his own chain.

And so… The story started and would now end with the words, _‘Hi-…how are you?’_

* * *

 


End file.
